Sport

Paralympians warm up at Bedford meet

BEDFORD, England — Jamaica’s head coach to the 14th Paralympic Games, Neville Sinclair was pleased with the performances of several members of the team at a track and field meet at Bedford athletics stadium in Bedford yesterday.

A number of the Jamaicans took part in special events organised on the first day of the England Under-15 and Under-17 track and field championships.

A number of other paralympic teams also used the opportunity to gauge the readiness of their athletes including Morocco, Tunisia, Lethoso, Angola, Uganda and The Democratic Republic of Congo, all of who are among the 160 nations set to take part in the Paralympic Games.

Sinclair, himself a former athlete, told the Jamaica Observer he was “overall happy” with the day’s performance as he said it gave him the chance “to see where they are” as the start of the Paralympics draws closer.

While admitting there was “one main disappointment” yesterday, he said he was mostly happy with what he saw from those who took part.

St George’s College schoolboy Javon Campbell, a semi-finalist in the Class 1 100m at the ISSA Boys Championships in March, won the 100m in 11.32 seconds, while Shane Hudson competed in a mixed 200m race including athletes with various disabilities.

Sylvia Grant took part in the discus throw — an event she had not competed in before or trained for — but Sinclair said “she did well with no training and we will see how she continues to improve”.

Toni Greaves, who is making her first trip to the Paralympics, took part in the javelin throw and the coach said she was “adjusting well”.